Mental Health Services Utilization by Maltreated Children: Research Findings and Recommendations

Many maltreated children have, or are at risk for, emotional and behavioral disorders. Some of these children need mental health services but do not receive them because of service delivery and use barriers. Knowledge about the factors related to service utilization is needed to increase access to and use of services. Studies on mental health services utilization by maltreated children in foster care or otherwise monitored by child protective services are reviewed to ascertain service use correlates. Children in foster care had higher use rates than comparison groups of Aid to Families With Dependent Children not in foster care. Need and nonneed variables predicted service use. Race was the most consistent nonneed predictor. Future research needs include the development of conceptual models to guide research on service access and use. More work is needed on the conceptualization and operationalization of mental health services, need for services, and service use.